Child abductions occur in the United States on a level that is too frequent. Many parents will purchase their child a mobile telephone to communicate with the parents to coordinate picking up the child and for communicating with the child's nanny or guardian while at school. However, during school hours students generally will use the phone or mobile communication device to communicate with their friends in class using voice calls, e-mails, or text messages. Generally, this second use of the mobile phone may upset the progression of the class and disrupt the teachers. Students will periodically access the text messages and not pay attention in class during lectures. Also, this may result in the parent's receiving a large phone and service bill from the service provider as the students are not being monitored by the parents in school.
Therefore, many educational settings have banned the use or possession of cell phones, personal digital assistants, I-PHONE® mobile phones, media players, I-PODS®, and BLACKBERRY® communication devices and other electronic devices. For example in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein have refused to drop the ban on cellular telephones notwithstanding the protests of parents. New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein insist cell phones are a distraction and are used to cheat, take inappropriate photos in bathrooms and organize rendezvous. Cellular phones are also a frequently stolen item. However, this policy is upsetting to parents. Without a mobile communication or a tracking device, there may be a greater risk that a child can be potentially abducted or kidnapped without the mobile communication device to call for help. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a mobile communication device that can act as a personal locator device and that also can be permitted to be used in an educational setting without causing disruption and that does not permit the student to call third parties, take photos, send e-mails or text with friends.